Behind the scenes of fire training: How instructors face repeated AFFF exposure

Live-fire training is an integral part of fire academy courses and continuing education programs for fire departments. Training for Class B fires often involves a controlled fire ignited with propane or natural gas, but larger demonstrations require hose-reel installations or trucks loaded with aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). This dangerous firefighting foam contains fluorine-based chemicals that have been associated with increased risks of developing cancer. While early recruits only encounter Class B fire on rare occasions, live-fire instructors are exposed to AFFF in every Class B fire demonstration. This repeated exposure leads to the accumulation of cancer-causing chemicals from AFFF in the body.

How fire instructor duties may involve AFFF exposure

The specific requirements for a live-fire instructor position vary by academy or state, but most require at least a Firefighter II and Fire and Emergency Services Instructor I certification. In some districts, the candidate instructor must have served at a fire department for at least six (6) years. Instructors must be knowledgeable about building fires ignited by both gas and non-gas sources and must be capable of responding to exterior Class B fires. The majority of AFFF exposure among fire instructors comes from duties involving liquid fire, including the following:

• Facilitating frequent classes and live demonstrations using portable AFFF extinguishers, installed AFFF systems, or AFFF vehicles
• Inspecting apparatus and trucks before or after classes (exposure through leaks and spills)
• Preparing live fire simulations by mixing AFFF concentrate and water
• Supervising the cleanup of firefighting training areas, where the ground would be contaminated by AFFF
• Attending continuing education programs, such as specialized firefighting credentials on fighting airport fuel fires

Before a firefighter becomes a certified instructor, they would have already accumulated at least 6 years of exposure to AFFF, starting from the use of portable AFFF extinguishers during their Firefighter I certification. If you also enrolled in a fire academy to get specialized live fire instructor credentials, there is a high chance that you have been accumulating "forever chemicals" from AFFF for a long time. The consequences could be as serious as increased risk of developing cancer and other conditions, including the following:

• Kidney cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Liver cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Thyroid Disease

You may be eligible for AFFF claims as a fire instructor: Contact ELG Law

As a fire instructor, your years of experience as a firefighter and additional years of exposure in live-fire drills may qualify you for an AFFF claim. If you have been diagnosed with any of the medical conditions mentioned above, ELG Law attorneys can assess your case through your employment history and medical records. Contact us today to get a free case evaluation.